P1718: A PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER SURVEY ABOUT THE USE OF NEW TECHOLOGIES AND DIGITAL HEALTH TOOLS IN PATIENTS (PTS) WITH HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES
Authors: A. Lopez-Garcia, C. Diaz-Aizpun, B. Gallego-Diaz, C. Miranda-Castillo, M. Yuste-Platero, P. Beltran-Alvarez, C. Carames-Sanchez, J. Garcia-Foncillas, P. Llamas-Sillero, M. del Olmo Rodriguez, J. Short Apellaniz, J. Arcos Campillo, R. Cordoba
Journal: HemaSphere (2022)

Background: Telemedicine has landed on the care of pts with hematological malignancies enhanced by the COVID-19 pandemic On the other hand, the use of eHealth and new forms of communication technologies requires technological skills on the part of pts In order to guarantee the success of communication through these new tools, patients must be willing to and have access to this form of communication. Aims: We hypothesize that telemedicine and eHealth have great acceptance among pts with hematololgical malignancies increasing their interest during the pandemic Methods: Pts with any oncohaematological malignancy receiving oral and/or intravenous treatment in daytime hospital were included in our study between 1st February and 30th November 2021 in 4 hospitals. We conducted a cross-sectional, multicenter, prospective study, based on the validation design of a survey offered to these patients, where demographic and social characteristics, tumor characteristics, management characteristics of the technologies of information and communication, as well as the patient portal and data on the COVID-19 pandemic were included. Our endpoint was to describe the pattern of access and use of new technologies of patients treated in Hematology Services for some hematological malignancy and Medical Oncology for a solid tumor. Results: Two hundred patients were included in our study. Median age was 60 years (range 21-87), and 119 (59.5%) were male. About the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), 136 (69.5%) patients reported daily use of the internet and 172 (86%) have a smartphone. 85 (43.1%) of patients included in the study do health research on the internet, and 181 (90.5) think e-health tools may help them to improve the communication with the medical team during their treatment. The most chosen way to communicate is the mobile phone (45%). When we analyzed the use of digital health and ITCs, patients older than 60 years old, without superior education and retired are the ones who never use internet, never do health research on the internet and do not think the use of these tools may help them to improve their communication with the medical team, with statistically significant differences (Table 1). No differences in gender were found. Image:Summary/Conclusion: Although in the past years e-Health solutions development has exponentially increased motivated by COVID-19 pandemic, preferences and needs of patients remain unknown. In our study, most of them believe new technologies are accessible, useful, and the preferred way to use them is the mobile phone. We can differentiate a group of patients older than 60 years, without superior studies and retired, who are out of this trend. Efforts to adapt digital solutions to this group´s needs and limitations should be made in order to avoid the digital gap.